Eyes are the mirror of the soul

Eyes are the first link between two individuals; beautiful shiny eyes let us appear radiant and expressive. Hooded lids and puffy tear sacs let us appear much older and even tired. A surgical lid correction at Smile Eyes can restore a younger and fresher look and bring back the sparkle in your eyes.

Eyelid lift: when the eyes look tired

The skin around the eye zone is particularly thin and tender. The natural ageing process in this region progresses much faster than for example that of the skin of the arms which is ten times thicker than the skin around the eye. In the course of a lifetime the natural tonicity of the eye lids decreases and tear sacs, wrinkles and hooded lids can lead to a tired or sad expression of the face. Attractiveness and radiance are part of our personal well-being – so even slight corrections in the eye zone can lead to a positive change of the appearance of the whole face. The patient´s personal well-being is our main interest as well as the safeguarding of the functionality and health of your eyes.

Treatment of hooded eyelids through an upper eyelid lift

A hooded lid also called dermatochalasis is excess skin which hangs over the upper eye lid. That´s why the face looks tired and exhausted. During lid correction the lid is lifted and excess skin removed. The face immediately looks younger and fresher.

After the measurement of the upper lid´s excess skin, a sickle-shaped skin strip is removed by an incision along the natural eyelid crease. For an optimal result often also part of the underlying tissue, part of the muscle and part of the fatty tissue is removed. Afterwards the wound is stitched with a very fine suture and a provisional bandage applied. The scar that remains after the removal of the sutures is very subtle and is embedded in the natural eyelid crease so that it is hardly visible.

How do tear sacs disappear? (lower eyelid lift)

Tear sacs are either an excess of lower eyelid skin or a protrusion of fatty tissue from the eye socket because of age-related sagging tissue. Dark eye circles are caused by a decrease of fatty tissue which makes the underlying blood vessels shimmer bluish. Eye circles can be reduced by injecting filler material. But frequently it is a combination of the two of them: the surgical removal of the surplus skin and the fatty protrusion, this is an effective way to regain fresh and relaxed looks.

When tear sacs are caused solely by protruding fat pads without surplus skin, an incision on the internal side of the lower lid can suffice to remove these fat pads, the so-called trans-conjunctival lower eyelid surgery. But in most cases an additional skin excess on the lower lid requires an incision directly below the eyelashes. The surplus skin strip and surplus fatty tissue is removed. Afterwards the wound is stitched with a fine suture and a bandage applied. The scar that remains after the removal of the sutures is a very subtle and thin line that is embedded in the natural eyelid creases.

Eyelid correction – the fast lane to younger looks

Eyelid correction is generally one of the most requested cosmetic corrections. The personal reasons and wishes for an eyelid lift can be manifold. The patient´s personal well-being and an aesthetically perfect result are our main interest as well as the safeguarding of the functionality and health of your eyes.

The surgery step by step

Prior to any surgery you will undergo a thorough examination by one of our ophthalmologist of our Smile Eyes centers. Chances and risks of surgery will be explained extensively. It is an out-patient surgery with local anaesthesia and takes about one hour if both eyes are treated. On the day of surgery it is best that family or friends accompany you to drive you home after the intervention.

Preliminary examinations

Prior to surgery several examinations are necessary:

An extensive examination of the eyes, an evaluation of the eyelids and of the alignment of the lids are carried out to determine the surgical proceeding.

The general health condition of the patient as well as his medication - especially blood diluents – is controlled by the general practitioner. These examinations serve to guarantee the highest possible safety.

Prior to surgery

Surgery is carried out under local anaesthesia, patients are allowed to eat up to 6 hours and drink up to 2 hours before surgery. Diabetics should clear their medication with their general practitioner.

Prior to surgery our anaesthetist supplies the patient with medication for sedation and relaxation. He also monitors the patient during surgery (ECG, blood pressure and pulse measuring). There is no need for general anaesthesia due to the application of local anaesthesia that sedates the eye and the lid zone and leads to complete insensitivity to pain. During surgery the patient is awake and responsive.

Prior to surgery the upper part of the face is cleansed thoroughly with a disinfecting solution and the face covered with sterile cloths.

During surgery

Normally surgery is over in about 60 minutes. The same span of time applies for after-care. Generally speaking, the whole stay for a lid correction in the Smile Eyes Clinic is less than 3 hours.

After surgery

The operated eye is covered with an ointment bandage. The bandage is removed after one hour post-surgery and the eyes are examined. The doctor decides whether you leave the clinic with or without bandage. One week after surgery the stiches are removed.

After a certain monitoring phase we let you go home. You are not allowed to drive a vehicle so please bring an accompanying person. For several hours after surgery you should not be alone.

That´s what you should pay attention toin the following days and weeks

It is very important that after surgery the patient rests for several days, and cools the eyes. Physical activities are to be avoided. In the first days after surgery the formation of haematoma or an irregular swelling of the lids can occur. It is also possible that the lids cannot be closed completely and an asymmetry between the two sides can be noticed. As soon as the stitches are removed, the feeling of tension around the eyes disappears.

Do not squeeze or rub your eye in any event until the wound has healed and the sutures are removed.In the first days after surgery your face should not be sprinkled with water. If you wash your hair, be careful to incline your head backwards. During the first days you should avoid getting your eye in contact with soap.

Physical effort and sports such as swimming or diving, cycling or sauna should be avoided until your surgeon gives his permission, normally at the latest after two weeks.

Risks

Generally lid surgeries bear an extremely low risk. The very rare complications are wound infections, after-bleeding, injuries of superficial vascular or nerve branches, visible scar formation or pigment disorder or reactions to the local anaesthesia. Further side effects can be a blurred vision for several days, a swelling of the eye lids, haematoma, or a slight asymmetry of the eyes.As a patient you can contribute greatly to further minimize the risks by respecting the instructions of the surgeon before and after surgery.